Pen-filler.



H. HESS.

PEN FILLER.

APPLlcATloN man JULY lz. 19x. 1, 179 921 Patented Apr. 18, 1916. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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HENRY HESS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PEN-FILLER.

Application filed July 17, 1911.

To alt whom it may concern.' l

Be it known that I, HENRY HEss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new Iand useful Improvements in Pen- Fillers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingr drawing.

My invention relates to pen fillers, and more especially an apparatus for filling that type of fountain pen known as the safety pen, which has an exterior screw thread near its forward end for the reception of a screw closing cap, and the forward end or mouth of the pen being closable and openable by the protrusion and withdrawal of the pen point and parts carrying the same.

An object of the present invention is to afford a simple, cheap and effective filling apparatus and one in which the liability of spilling is minimized.

Other objects will appear hereinafter or will be obvious.

The invention consists in the novel features, parts, combinations and apparatus shown and described hereinafter.

I will first describe several embodiments of the present improvements, and will then set forth the features of novelty in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of an apparatus embodying my improvements, with a safety pen coupled thereto by its exterior screw threads, the parts shown in upright position with the pen protruding. Fig. 2 shows the same partsas Fig. 1 in inverted position with the pen point withdrawn instead of protruding, this being the position in which the transfer of ink .from the bottle to the pen occurs. Fig. 3 shows a screw cap that lmay be employed to close the filler when not engaged with a pen.

Fig 4 shows a different embodiment of the .\ccording to the present invention an,

apparatus is contemplated in which the ink container or bottle. as it may be termed Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. is, 1916.

Serial No. 639,068.

whatever form it may take, has screw threadsformed (preferably in an outlet member or portion) to enable the filler to be screw-connected to a pen; the screw threads shown Aas internal on the pen filler and external on the pen as would be the case with a safety pen. This mode of connection or coupling possesses great advantages including the security of connection which precludes accidental separation in the process of filling, as well as the tightness of conneetion which precludes leakage. The apparatus takes advantage of the existing screw threads on a pen for the purposes hereof.

According to another feature of my invention, in addition to the bottle itself is an incompressible or inflexible outlet member which latter has means for coupling it to a pen. This inflexible outlet member adds efficiency and convenience and enables the inverted pen and apparatus to be operated by a slight motion if necessary to cause a tendency of the ink to flow downward from the bottle into the pen, thus dispensing with the need of any flexible or compressible outlet member for assisting the flow of ink, and greatly simplifying the apparatus.

Referring particularly to the form of Figs; 1, Q and 3, A represents a Abottle or any other container, and B an outlet member therefor, it being of an inflexible nature composed preferably of hard rubber and secured permanently in any desired manner to the bottle. The outlet member B provides for the apparatus an internal screw thread at for engaging the screw threads of a safety or analogous pen. ln the interior of member B is a passagevo' of suicient size to permit not only a free transfer of ink but to accommodate the protruding pen point and permit its inward and outward movements. The outlet member B may have a chamfered seat for the forward end of the pen.

The fountain pen C is shown as having exterior threads at c and a pen point c capable of being protruded and withdrawn in any well known manner.

D represents a screw cap intended to be screwed into engagement with the thread o for the purpose of closing or corking the bottle when not in use.

' The operation of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3 may be as follows: The screw cap D `While in this position, the protruding pen point c will be withdrawn (although it might be withdrawn before inversion), thus opening the forward end or mouth of the pen for the reception of ink, which will flow by gravity from the bottle to the pen,

the air within the latter bubbling up into the bottle as it is displaced by the downiowing ink. By this operation not only is the pen filled but the pen point and surrounding parts are thoroughly rinsed which has an advantageous tendency to keep the parts clean and improve the action of the pen. As the force of gravity may not always be sufficient to cause the inkfto flow downwardly and displace the air withinthe pen, a mechanical motion may be given to the apparatus, it being moved upwardly and downwardly by hand so as to assist the downward tendency of the ink and give it better opportunity to find its way into the pen, and for the air to escape. This eect Vit will be noted is'brought about not by a change of air pressure in the bottle but by the different method of causing a disturbance of the liquid or causing portions of the liquid to be driven toward and into the pen with an increased force greater than gravity. Now with the parts still inverted the pen point will be again protruded to its full extent, thus closing the mouth of the pen. This in turn enables the apparatus to be re-inverted to the upright position of Fig. 1 when the pen may be uncoupled by screwing it out of place and the bottle recorked, which concludes the operation.

Referring now to the embodiment of Fig. 4 a variation is there indicated which will be useful as guarding against spilling caused by overfilling of a safety pen. The outlet member E in this embodimentvis shown as containing a chamber together with means for opening the chamber to, and closing it from, the bottle A. To this end the outlet member E is shown as of increased length. a part of its interior passage, namely at c, constituting a chamber for the purposes referred to. At the upper end' are the seat and coupling means for the pen as before. The chamber is comprised in the space between the pen C above and a valve F ata given position intermediate thc pen and the bottle, said valve being preferably a rotary one shown as of conical form and having a passage which may be in the closed position seen in Fig. -f or in a position at right angles thereto to afford communication Abetween bottle A and chamber c. The contents of the chamber c is calculated to correspond with the capacity of the pen so that precisely the of the. entire apparatus and then closed prior to the opening of the pen mouth by the withdrawal of the protruding pen point. To

`assist the operation an air 'vent e may be formed in the outlet member E communieating with a coperating ven t f formed in oneside of the valve F, `so that air may pass either inwardly or outwardly through vents e', f as the pressure existing within the chamber e may require. IVhen not in use the valve F may be turned to closed position, thus preventing evaporation of the ink in bottle A.

. Referring now to the embodiment of Fig. 5, this is seen to retain the inflexible outlet member G, the apparatus operating on the same principlesas the vapparatuses of Figs. l to 3. There is some slight variation in the external screw threads of satetynpens on the market, and until this is remedied some device may be desirable in my apparatus for accommodating it to the differently threaded pens.` A portion of the outlet member containing the threads might be constructed of soft rubber so as to permit adaptation. I have, however, in Fig. 5 shown a device for coupling with the pen by means of the circumferential compression of a soft thimble about the pen. H represents a soft rubber thimble of a form having a flange at z. An annular screw piece I with a slanted upper edge is engaged with screw threads of a portion g of the outlet member so that turning said annular' piece I will cause it to rise, this serving to press upon the projection h of the soft thimble and cause the latter to be pressed inward or compressed circumferentially so as to inclose and contact the pen at every side, thus effecting a liquid-tight engagement between the pen and the outlet member. The parts are shown in Fig. 5 inv open position, and the embodiment of Fig. 6 shows substantially similar parts in closed position so as to indicate the effect of screwing the annular piece I upwardly.

Referring now to the embodiment of Fig. 6, this has an outlet member J which differs from the previously described outlet member in being formed to accommodate both the features-of Fig. 4 and those of Fig. 5. Thus the valve F will be seen and also the flexible thimble H, it heilig shown in closed position, the screw sleeve I being in its upward position.

The improvements above described have been found not only very effective but very convenient, and have been found also to avoid the very general trouble existing in filling pens of the kind referred to, in the' creation of bubbles and the consequent incomplete filling, as well as the greater or less uncleanliness attending the operation.

lVhile four specific embodiments of the present improvements have been illustrated and above described, it will be obvious that many further changes in construction and form and in immaterial details may be made without departing from my invention, and I consequently do not wish to be limited to the illustrated forms as to details shown, excepting as set forth in the below appended claims.

A merit of the above construction is that the pen, by reason of the nature of its connection with the bottle, is firmly held against such defiection as will either permit leakage around the pen barrel, or allow the pen point to its injury contacting the interior of the filler, when in use.

VJhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Contrivance for filling the so-called safety type of fountain pen having a pen point capable of being withdrawn into and projected from the pen barrel, comprising in combination a bottle, an outlet portion for said bottle, said outlet portion provided with means for so coupling it tightly to the pen barrel as to preclude leakage upon the inversion of the entire contrivance, said coupling means being rigid whereby it holds the pen against injurious deflection of its projecting point, and said outlet portion having a chamber of substantially the capacitj'7 of the pen, means as a valve for opening and closing the chamber, and an air vent operable when the chamber is closed.

2. Contrivance for filling the so-called safety type of fountain pen having a pen point capable of being withdrawn into and projected from the pen barrel, said contriv' ance consisting of a bottle having a special outlet portion constructed to be coupled tightly to the pen barrelso as to preclude leakage upon the inversion of the entire contrivance, and said outlet portion and coupling being of rigid construction to hold the pen securely against injurious deflection of its projecting point; whereby the empty pen may be coupled to the said outlet portion with the pen point retracted, the pen and filling contrivance bodily inverted to cause the ink to flow into and fill the pen, the pen closed by projecting the pen point, without danger of injury, the pen and filling contrivance bodily reinverted to upright position, and the filled pen uncoupled.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY HESS.

IVitnesses:

NETTIF. L. HAHN, THEO. H. MCALLA. 

